Associate Director/Director - Data Governance (1276) in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey at Axtria, Inc.

Axtria Introduction

Axtria is a global provider of cloud software and data analytics to the Life Sciences industry. We help Life Sciences companies transform the product commercialization journey to drive sales growth and improve healthcare outcomes for patients. We are acutely aware that our work impacts millions of patients and lead passionately to improve their lives. Since our founding in 2010, technology innovation has been our winning differentiation. We continue to leapfrog competition with platforms that deploy Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Our cloud-based platforms — Axtria DataMAx™, Axtria SalesIQ™, Axtria InsightsMAx™, and Axtria CustomerIQ™ — enable customers to efficiently manage data, leverage data science to deliver insights for sales and marketing planning, and manage end-to-end commercial operations. We help customers in the complete journey from Data to Insights to Operations. With customers in over 75+ countries, Axtria is one of the biggest global commercial solutions providers in the Life Sciences industry. We continue to win industry recognition for growth and are featured in some of the most aspirational lists — Inc. 5000, Deloitte Technology Fast 500™, NJBIZ Fast 50, SmartCEO Future 50, Red Herring 100, and several other growth and technology awards.

Axtria is looking for exceptional talent to join our rapidly growing global team. People are our biggest perk! Our transparent and collaborative culture offers a chance to work with some of the brightest minds in the industry. Axtria Institute, our in-house university, offers the best training in the industry and an opportunity to learn in a structured environment. A customized career progression plan ensures every associate is set up for success and able to do meaningful work in a fun environment. We want our legacy to be the leaders we produce for the industry. Will you be next?

Data Governance Specialist (Associate Director / Director)

Are you passionate about data? Do you believe that data governance is critical for organizations to use data responsibly and efficiently in realizing their business goals? Are you ready to lead innovative data governance strategies and solutions? This role at Axtria is the right fit for you!

We are looking for a Data Governance Specialist to join our Data Management practice, driving DG best practices, strategy, and adoption. In this techno-functional role, you will bridge business and technology — translating data governance principles into practical frameworks, technical blueprints, and platform implementations that generate real business value.

This role requires a deep understanding of data governance principles, data management disciplines, data privacy, and regulatory compliance. The ideal candidate brings strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to engage and influence both technical and business stakeholders equally well.

Key Responsibilities

DG Strategy & Framework Design

• Develop and implement comprehensive data governance strategies and frameworks aligned to clients’ organizational goals, covering metadata managements, policies, procedures, data classification, data quality standards, and data products management.
• Drive thought leadership in DG platform selection and strategy, with expert knowledge of leading tools such as Databricks Unity, Collibra, Informatica IDMC, Alation, Atlan.
• Design DG solution blueprints with AI-first approach covering all enterprise DG tenets — Data Catalog, Metadata Management, Business Glossary, Lineage Management, Data Quality, Data Access and Controls, and Data Marketplace.
• Define KPIs to measure the effectiveness of data governance initiatives and ensure accountability.
• Act as an evangelist for data governance, promoting a data-driven mindset and responsible data use across client organizations.
• Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and pharma regulatory changes impacting data governance practices.

Client Delivery & Technical Leadership

• Identify and assess client DG gaps across people, process, and technology; recommend solutions addressing both immediate and long-term needs.
• Own end-to-end technical solution architecture, ensuring alignment with clients’ near-term and strategic objectives.
• Lead solution design with AI-First approach, leveraging GenAI, Agentic AI capabilities, and leveraging existing DG platforms in client ecosystem.
• Drive cross-functional alignment between client business and IT teams; act as a trusted advisor to client and internal stakeholders.
• Enable and support client data stewardship efforts, including workflows, ownership models, and accountability structures.
• Perform hands-on DG platform configurations and integrations as needed.
• Lead and facilitate client pre-sales and project workshops; lead project scoping and estimation.
• Design data governance processes to drive operational efficiency and support long-term DG sustainment.

AI & GenAI Capabilities

• Demonstrate working knowledge of AI/GenAI capabilities applied to data governance
• Fluent in Large Language Models (LLMs) and experienced in designing and developing AI Agents; able to conceive, build, and govern agentic DG accelerators (e.g., automated business glossary enrichment, smart data quality remediation, conversational data catalog) with appropriate human-in-the-loop and governance controls.

Business Development

• Actively contribute to pre-sales and business development for the Data Governance practice.
• Develop GenAI-driven DG use cases, POCs, demos, and accelerators showcasing Axtria’s end-to-end data governance capabilities across Life Sciences commercial, medical and R&D data assets, including third-party data.
• Design and create innovative solutions as accelerators across all DG tenets.
• Author thought leadership content — point-of-views, white papers, and solution frameworks — addressing client pain points.
• Lead and contribute to RFP responses in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Desired Skills & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in a Data Management or Data Office organization, leading data governance strategy, implementation, and adoption.
• Demonstrated experience as a techno-functional solution architect — with both business-facing and platform-delivery experience in designing and implementing DG solutions for mid-to-large-scale organizations.
• Hands-on proficiency in one or more leading DG platforms — Databricks Unity, Informatica IDMC, Atlan, Collibra, or Alation — across core capabilities including Data Catalog, Metadata Management, Business Glossary, Lineage, Data Classification, Access/Security, and Data Marketplace.
• Strong knowledge of Data Warehouses/Lakehouse architectures, Master Data Management, Data Quality Management, and Data Integration.
• Working knowledge of GenAI/LLMs, including prompt engineering, RAG fundamentals, embeddings, and model evaluation/monitoring; experience building or governing AI-enabled DG accelerators is a strong plus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; proven ability to lead discussions with technical and business leaders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple client engagements in an advisory capacity.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or equivalent; Prior consulting experience is a plus.
• Self-starter who works effectively independently and as part of a team.

Pay Transparency Laws
Salary range or hourly pay range for the position

The salary range for this position is $157,600 to $205,425 annually. The actual salary will vary based on applicant’s education, experience, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. The salary may also be adjusted based on applicant’s geographic location.

The salary range reflected is based on a primary work location of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. The actual salary may vary for applicants in a different geographic location.

#LI-GS1